Strip malls are a ubiquitous architectural feature of the greater Los Angeles landscape, asserting their presence on just about every major intersection in town. For the uninitiated, a strip mall is a nondescript L-shape building, in which dentists and laundromats sit cheek-to-cheek with restaurants. But when we talk about the phenomenon that is L.A. strip-mall dining, we’re not just discussing delicious hole-in-the-wall Peruvian joints inside strip malls; we’re also talking seven-course tasting-menus, the city’s best sushi spots, and unexpected craft-beer havens. 

To be all-encompassing with this topic would require a list of at least 100 dining establishments. For now, we’ll offer up a few gems that we find ourselves returning to to time and time again. From toro sprinkled with gold flakes to hangover-curing lomo saltado, here are our 5 favorite strip-mall eating and drinking experiences in Los Angeles. Trust us: there’s something charming about going into a worn-out strip mall to have dinner, not to mention the convenience of having a parking lot right outside the restaurant.

Address and phone: 1498 Sunset Blvd #3, Echo Park (213-481-2337)
Website: sunsetbeerco.com

This Eastside beer-nerd haven is housed in a strip mall along Sunset Boulevard, in between a dentist's office and a slice joint—in other words, not the first place you'd expect to find 700 bottled beers for purchase, from local brews to obscure Belgian ales, plus a cozy and dark tasting room complete with a fire place, board games, and 12 draft lines. Scour the expansive refrigerator cases and you'll notice that each is devoted to beers from a specific region (nice touch). If you're in the mood to crack a bottle of Prairie Somewhere or Fantôme Saison on site, simply head into the tasting room where you'll be charged a small $2 corkage fee (except during happy hour from 4pm to 6pm, when there's no corkage fee). But don't forget to check the taps before you commit to a bottle—Sunset Beer Co. has tap takeovers about once a week, featuring coveted breweries like Ballast Point, Three Weavers, Mother Earth, and more.—EM

Address and phone: 3303 West 6th St, Koreatown (213-738-8977)
Website: yelp.com/biz/seongbukdong

There are few dishes as comforting as galbi jjim, or chunks of gelatinous short rib braised in a sweet soy sauce marinade. The meltingly tender version at Seongbukdong, a tiny Korean restaurant that specializes in Gyeonsang-style country cooking, can best be described as beef candy. But this soulful dish is not the sole reason to come to Seongbukdong—there is funky braised mackerel, too, and excellent housemade banchan, including kimchi, cubes of pickled daikon, and marinated mushrooms. Before or after your feast, head just a few doors down to Gaam Karaoke, a fine place to get sloshed off of whiskey or soju and pretend you’re a K-pop star. (Bonus: the strip mall that both Gaam and Seongbukdong are housed in has valet parking, and the restaurant validates.)—EM

Address and phone: 22330 Sherman Way, Canoga Park (818-704-1459)
Website: yelp.com/biz/gos-mart-canoga-park

The San Fernando Valley is the de facto porn capital of the world, but equally as important is its reputation as a formidable raw-fish oasis, where no-frills sushi bars share cramped plaza space with discount shops and liquor stores. Savvy Angelenos know that you don't have to stick to the haughty confines of the 90210 for pristine seafood, which is why many still swear by (and schlep to) Go's Mart. What it lacks in ambiance (it occupies a former video rental store and snack shop), Go's makes up for in top-notch quality and theatrics—expect toro collar adorned with gold flakes, and fresh needlefish shipped in from the same Tokyo seafood market that Jiro Ono visits in Jiro Dreams of Sushi. Caveat emptor: Chef Go is known for being cold towards new customers, but this reputation seems to stoke the fire of fish fanatics even more.—JB    

Address and phone: 5786 Melrose Ave, Hollywood (347-987-3747)
Website: facebook.com/Marios-Peruvian-Seafood

There are times when you wake up and absolutely need to stuff your face with something hearty, meaty, and greasy. If you wake up bleary-eyed in or near Hollywood, head to Mario’s Peruvian and order a massive plate of classic lomo saltado—tender strips of ribeye steak sautéed with tomatoes, red onions, and French fries. The dish (which is also excellent ordered with seafood instead of steak) comes with a side of rice and a squeeze bottle of aji sauce, made from jalapeños, garlic, herbs, cheese, and bell pepper. The 22-year-old, family-operated joint draws crowds at all hours, so do some shopping at the Radio Shack next door while you wait, or sit in the strip-mall parking lot and listen to Power 106. (Pro tip: Squirt the aji sauce all over the fluffy white rolls that come complimentary at the beginning of the meal.)—EM

Address and phone: 716 N Highland Ave, Hollywood
Website: troismec.com 

Of course L.A.'s hottest reservation is a 24-seat, tasting-menu-only restaurant inside a strip mall. It's here, inside a repurposed Raffallo's Pizza, that chef Ludo Lefebvre turns out shockingly good plates like Nantucket bay scallops paired with refreshing oro blanco, pungent horseradish, and endive. To even get into the restaurant, you have to buy a $97 ticket in advance, which covers the cost of the five-course tasting; this means you better be on troismec.com right at 8am to cop one, or else. The tasting starts with a parade of "snacks," like a square of fried tapioca with salty Parmesan and passion fruit that resembles (but tastes nothing like) a tater tot, or crème brûlée laced with Dijon mustard. Where your meal goes from there is completely dictated by the chef; on a recent visit, we tucked into sunchokes with long beans and sunflower seeds, followed by a Carolina gold rice pudding topped with brown butter and a brûléed egg yolk. The francocentric wine pairing ($49), perhaps the most memorable part of our Trois Mec experience, is a must. If buying tickets in advance and sitting through a seven-course tasting menu isn't your speed, head next door to Petit Trois—Lefebvre's more casual bistro—and feast on an omelet with Boursin cheese or garlicky escargot instead.—EM